Explosive grenade.



F. M. HALE. EXPLOSIYE GRENADE. APPLIUATION FILED 00T. 26, 1908.

Patented Nov. v16, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. .M HALE. EXPLOSIVE GRENADE. APPLICATION FILED 00T'. 26, 1908.

940,527. Patented Novfl, 1909.

SSHBETS-SHEBT 2. l

E'. M. HALE.

EXPLOSIVB GRENADE.

AISPLIUATON FILED 00T.26, 1908. I

' Patented N0v.16,1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Hilf/l,

Wade? "L STATES PATENT OFFICE.) l

f FBEDEBICK MARTIN HALE, orLoNDoN, ENeLANn.

To all whom 'it 'may comemf V Be it known that I, FREDERIKV MARIN HALE, a subject .of the' King of Grreat Britain, residing at London, England, have in, vented certain new and useful Improvements in Explosive Grenades, of which the followin is a specification.

The o ject of this invention -is to; con-A structV an explosive -grenade bof that class which is provided with a rod which fits 'the barrel of a service rifle, carbine or other type lof small arm, and is propelled therefrom l1n any desired direction by the firing of a cartrldge Within the barrel, the grenade be- 'the barrel Without any'means 'of proper. and

firm. attachment or grip.

ing provided with means whereby its projection is delayed or retarded, to'alloW for the proper andy efficient expansion of the gases Al`from the exploded cartridge, and for .the full compressionof the air in the barrel,

so that when the retardation is overcome, the grenade will be projected to a greater 4distance-by the propelling" power created in the barrel than would be the case Where the grenade .is simply'connected by its rod vto I also provide means in the grenade for ring'the detona tor when the grenade strikes the ground or an object, such means being positively held from movement in the grenade until .ready for firing, and then u nti the grenade strikes the object, thus rendering ,the grenade per'- .fectly safe to` handle andffire under all con vditions, and as .a further safeguard, I may carry the detonator and the exploder charge separately, ,the detonator -for firing the grenade being inserted into its position only 'when' the grenade is aflixed to the ride at the 'morent of irin The grenade carries a stem Aor rod which 1 may be provided with means such asa gas check to insure-full effect ofthe gases on the 'end of the rod, or the rod may be riied on lthefwhole or part of its length to insure Jche confinement of the gases ofthe propelling charge and to impart 'centrifugal motion' during the flight of thev grenade.

` My invention can b'ecarrie'd out in' a variety of ways, afew of which are hereinafter described, and 4lare shown; in the l accompany- Figure .1 is a longitudinal sectional "view simplest form,` said 4Exzerlosrvn GRENADE. 'I l y Spe'cicationof Letters Patent.4 Patented NOV. 16, 1909.

App1ication led. October 26, 1908. Serial No. 459,556.

(Fig. 2 is'an elevation of an ordinary service yrifle with. my grenade in position thereon. y

Fig. 3 ,is va side elevation.- partly in section,

ofya portion of a grenade and barrel cfa rifle, the attachment being effected by socket'ttedto the barrel' and, by pins on the grenade engaging \the socket, Which-latter 'is held to the barrel by a'. ring. Fig. 4 is an end view of the ringabove referred to. Fig. 5 is aplan viefvv of Fig-3. 'Fig. is an elevation of portion of a grenade and barrel of a rifle similar to Fig. 3, but W'ith'the socket Secured to the'barrel by ascrevvinstead of by a ring. Fig. .7 isatransverse section, and Fig, 8 is a side elevation of a socket affix-able to the barrel ofv a rifle ,by av vcam Which engages ag recessl in the barrel. Fig. 9 is a side elevation and Fig. 10a -front View Aof aD socket alixed to the muzzle end `of a short service rifle. Fig. 'll is a fragmental side elevation,

partly in section, of a grenade and barrel of f a rifle, Withthe socket serenf'ed to the rifle bar1;el'. Flg. 12. 1s an elevation partly in section, and Flg. 13 an elevation ofa portion of a grenade and bar-rel in which the latter Y and the stemof the grenade are formed with registering openings arranged to receive the retaining and retarding pin. Fig.- llr is an' elevation of a port-Jon oa grenade vand barw rel, with the barrel in section, the lneans'for att-achment'ofthe 'grenade to the barrel and retardation consisting of va ring or collar.-

F ig. 15 is a view similarto Fig, l, but with [the stem or rod of thel grenade provided with Aa gas check.

I will first describe my preferred construction of explosive grenade, but it must be understood that this forms no part of my presenti-nvention, except in so far as the appliy ancesor means for effecting the connection thereof to the rifle barrel are concerned.

The grenade is constructed with a shell .l preferably cylindrical in' shape, and a'cons centric tube Q'arranged therein and affixed to the ends 3 and 4 of the shell, the latter end Abeing hollow andprovided With a screw serving as a nose. The space between the shell 1 and the tube 2 contalns the burstlng 'threadffor receiving the detonator shell 5 lwhich carries the detonator 6jan'dmtlie;L-IJ ploder charge 7, the outer end of said shel drawn by` the cord 13 and the barrel y a screw pin 26.

drill another hole into which I pass a safety pin 12a carrying a cord 13, which pin 12 serves as a means -for positively retaining the striker 11 at a fixed position within the tube 2 under all conditions'.

To the end v3, I screw or otherwise secure a rod 14 of suitable length, which forms the stein of the grenade, such stem or rodjbjeing designed for insertion' into the barrel 15,0f-

a riti'e. According to Fig. 1, I also provide the end 3 of the grenade with spring arms or likeskappliances 16, these being of such a size, strength, and character as to grip the outside of the barrel 15 sufficiently tight to hold the grenade -tirmly on the barrel, and" also to resist the pressure of gases and air in the barrel, due to the firing of a cartridge,

until a determined pressure isreached, at

which point the pressure overcomes the grip of the arms or clips 16 and projects the grenade fronr the barrel. Ordinarily, the detoiiatoi'sliell 5 is detached from the grenade and carried separately, whilel the safety pin.

12- remains insei'ted'in the grenade and is only Withdrawn at the; moment of firing;

When itis desired to fire the grenade, the detonator 5 is screwed into the end 4, and the rod 14 is inserted into the -barrel 15, the latter being. engaged by the spring clips or fingers 16. rlhe safety pin 12a is then withropelling cartridge inserted in the riiie. gVhen the .cartridge is fired, the ases will expand and compress the air in' tie barrel. With the expansion and pressure so formed the grenade is projected from the riie.

According to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the means of 'connection of the grenade to then barrel 15 consist of two shearing pins 17 projecting from the ,end 3 of the grenadeand entering the bayonet slots 18 formed in the end of a socket 19, ,the latter being provided in 'turn with a bayonet slot 20 designed to .receive tliesi ht 21 on'the barrel, as shown in Fig.

'ie socket is locked to the barrel by'v means of a ring 22 having a leg 23 which is. designed to fit inthe slot 20 at'the side ofthe si ht, the ring. being attached to the According to Fig. 6, the rin 22-is dispensed with and the 'socket 19 is Iield 'tightly to the barrel 15 b the screw 26, which is attached to the soc et 19; otherwise the construction 'of socket is the same.

In Figs ..7 and 8, theisocket 1'9 consistsofa tube having wings 27 in which is arranged a cam shaped rod 28 which enters a groove out inthe barrel 15 tol retain the socket onv the barrel. Rod 28 is provided with a handle 29 by which it can be turned, to engage' or disengage the groove in the barrel, to replace or remove the socket.

. In Figs. 9 and 10, the socket 19 is coii-v structed of a shape for use with a short service rifle, in which the barrel projects only. slightly, if at all, from the stock 30. In this case the socket is recessed or cut away at the rear upper portion" and at the front lower portion so as to facilitate its positioning, the

socket being` held in place by screws 26.

In Fig. 11, the socket isfornied with an interior screw thread 31 with'whicli theeX-'Fo terioily threaded end` of .the barrel im gage y In Figs. 12 and 13, a hole-32 is drilled through the stem 14 and also through the barrel 15, the two registering, the grenade being held in position upon the barrel byineans of a shearing pin 33 inserted therein.

In the constructions shown in Figs. 3 to 13, the shearing pins serve to hold the grenade to the riie and also lto insure the requisite retardation.

In Fig. 14, the grenade is held to the barrel, and retarded by a ring 34 of soft metal, gutta )ercha or like material surrounding the ro 14, said ring being caused t'o expand and 'grip the insidev of the barrel when the stein or rod 14is passed into the latter.

It is preferred that in alllcases the rod 14 fit fairly tight Within the barrel 15 so as to. prevent, too much of the gases land compressed air creeping along the side Vof the rod and thus losing their power. To avoid the possibility of such an event occurring, when a loose fitting rod isemployed, I may usea gas check 35 on the end of the rod, as

seen in Fig. 15,`this efectually reducing the .on the rod corresponding to the4 riing or grooving ofthe inside of the barrel, lso that the grenade will be held to the barrel and' on projection by the exploded cartridge willV be 'ven a centrifugal 4motion the same as a bul et, or instead of ritling or grooving the rod' 14, the latter may be plain, and fitted with a gas check on the end 'to takethe ril-ling."

What is claimed is:

1. An explosive grenade arran ed for atf .tachment tothe barrel of a smal arm; incombination with positiveimeans for holding the grenade against'projection until the gaseous pressure developed within the barrel becomes suiiieiently great to overcome the actionof said means. j 2.. An explosive grenade having one member thereof arranged for insertion in the bar- 'l rel of a smallarm; in combination w-ith positive meansfor eifecting Athe attachment of the grenade to said barrel until the gaseous pressure developed withinthe latter becomes slfiiciently'. great toovercome the action of l 4sadmeans.' 3. A grenade havin astemarranged for`A insertion in the bore o a gun,'and 'an explo- It.l A grenadehaving a stem arranged for insertion in the bore of a gun, an explosive body portlon locatedexteriorly.thereof, and

conies sufiicien-tly Lgreat. to-

retaining means connected with -said body l portion and arranged to engage the outer 'surface of the gun.

5. 'A grenade having a stem arranged for insertion vin the barrelof a small arm, an n t explosive vbody portion located -exteriorly thereof,v and' a cylindrical retaining member,

l ortioirand 'ar`` ranged to fit over the end o the barre1.

connected with said body In'testilnony whereofl-have hereunto set.

JnyhaUd in presence of two subscribing witn esses.` i FREDERICK MARTIN HALE;

\Vitncsses: 

